I must have been asked over a hundred times if I could purchase stuff for family and friends since I do my shopping mostly online. Its a little bewildering since anyone can shop online, but yet they are afraid to - all you need is a credit card and do your research. Please note that this post is not about how you save money on bargains or how you should balance your purchases. That is seriously your own responsibility (just as me with my purchases). This post is more for people who wish to buy online but are not sure if they should.
Let's look at some of the factors preventing people from buying online:
1. I don't have a credit card
This is the most common reason given to me. I wouldn't know if you have or don't have a credit card but whatever the reason you have for not owning one, you're only going to inconvenience yourself later in the future. True, having a credit card means you have to go through the temptations and withdrawals, but this is something you need to discipline yourself. Have a budget if that helps.
2. I don't want to be cheated / have my card cloned
This is a reasonable reason. So far in my own experience, I have never been cheated by any of the shops I had purchased from, nor have I had my card cloned (touch wood). And I believe most of the shops are more fearful of being cheated themselves than for you to be cheated. As a thumb of rule, buy only from established vendors and if possible, read or research the customer feedbacks before you decide to commit your purchases. Its unfortunate Malaysia has become famous for the wrong reasons when it comes to credit cards. Most CC theft are masterminded by Malaysians, so its really unpleasant when shops you make enquiries to shoots you a reply that says "We don't do business with Malaysians". Genuine customers like myself had to bear with all the unpleasantries.
3. I don't want to exceed my credit limit / available funds
Well, if you were to tell me that, is it any wonder then that I refuse to buy for you? I have been cheated before not by the shops, but by a few people I had purchased for. There was a case a long time ago when I bought a figurine for a forum member I thought was a friend. Imagine to my shock when the kit came, he decided it wasn't what he expected and refused to pay me. It took me 3 months to find another buyer and I had to be the one marketing it. Suffice to say he tried asking me for help again assuring me he'll take it from me this time. I told him to forget it - no more. Trick me once, shame on you, Trick me twice, shame on me. And then there's the group that insist on paying me back in instalments. I'm sorry but CC purchases incurs a heavy interest. You're only paying the sum for the kit, but I'm paying the total sum including the interest. Its full payment or nothing.
So who do I buy for? Only a small group of trusted family and friends. Yup, I'm not a middleman and whenever I do this, its an added service for that select group of family and friend. So if you're reading this and you want to try your luck with me, don't. If you're not in the list, I won't even consider it. Sorry if I sound harsh, but better this way then to have my wife stare me down with all those daggers and swords.
Alright then, so which shop can you trust? I'm going with my own personal shopping experience with these online shops, and it is not meant to market or promote their wares in any way. Please note that the evaluation below are my own and does not reflect what other customers think about them.
But if you're a scale modeller like myself and are looking for some hard to find materials you can't find locally, then I would recommend these shops.
SHOPS IN JAPAN
Hobbylink Japan (HLJ) is very popular with Malaysians since everyone I know have at one point in time shopped with them. Their prices are a little high but they have on numerous occasions come up with bargains and promotions. Their category and search functions make it a lot easier to browse through the list of goods and they carry a lot of selections, from action figures to model kits, books, cds, tools, scale modelling materials, etc. I always opt for EMS shipping as it usually get my stuff to me anywhere from 4-7 days.
Price CCCC
Shipping CCCCC
Packaging CCCCC
Customer Service CCCCC
High points Wide variety with lots of pictures, easy browser and user friendly shopping
engine
Recommendations CCCCC
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Hobby Search is also another shop that is very popular and equals to HLJ in terms of variety and offerings. They too carry as many goods and the one thing that sets them apart is their point reward system. You earn points when you purchase, and these points can be accumulated and then used to redeem for future purchases. Opting for EMS shipping guarantees your kits coming to your doorstep anywhere from 4-7 days.
Shipping CCCCC
Packaging CCCC
Customer Service CCCCC
High points Wide variety with lots of pictures, easy browser and user friendly shopping
engine and point reward system
Recommendations CCCCC********************
J-List is another shop I occasionally purchase some goodies from but please note this shop has lots of adult, hentai and AV stuff. I'm not rating J-list here, but I can tell you this shop is safe and dependable. The only qualm I have is that they sell in USD instead of Yen (and over in Japan, USD prices for their goods are somewhat inflated). If you choose to buy any of the adult/hentai/AV stuff, you do so at your own risk cause they may get detained at customs.
Price CCC
Shipping CCCCC
Packaging CCCCC
Customer Service CCCCC
High points Lots of very hard to get stuff
Recommendations CCC (not much in terms of scale modelling)
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SHOPS IN THE US
SSM as its otherwise known, is run by John and Linda Lester. I have known of this shop's existence since 2001 when I was surfing Google for pictures. At that time, I wasn't comfortable buying from a shop located so far away. I had always been impressed with the stocks they had, bookmarked their site and regularly return to check for updates. I would read its member's completed build section, and sometimes felt ashame to show off my own builds. There's a lot of pros there.
SSM sells many genres, from Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica to after market parts and decals. When I did shop with them a few years back, I found this shop to be excellent in terms of its offerings. And the customer service is simply superb. Available stocks are usually shipped the same day your card gets charged. John normally uses US Postal Service First Class International Priority (unless they're small items) and your package is tracked and arrives within 10 days. Items are reasonable priced and they sell lots of hard to find GKs (Garage Kits). You can even follow through and contribute at their forum. I can personally vouch for SSM as safe and dependable.
Shipping CCCCC
Packaging CCCCC
Customer Service CCCCC
High points Excellent customer service - fast and efficient
Recommendations CCCCC
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Cultman Hobby Shop is managed by Steve Iverson. I have not bought from Cultman as yet but I do have some pre-orders with him. I do know of a few members (from my local scale modelling forum) who had purchased from Cultman, and feedbacks from these customers cites very good service. You can trust this shop as it is safe and dependable. Cultman also has a blog highlighting member's build and what's new updates, and his shop do offer a wide variety of Sci Fi related materials and after market parts.
Shipping ? not until I've purchased from Cultman
Packaging ? not until I've purchased from Cultman
Customer Service CCCCC
High points Feedback is that of excellent customer service - fast and efficient
Recommendations CCCCC
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Allen Ury runs Fantastic Plastic. I have made many purchases from him and I am very satisfied with his service. His shop offers only GKs but cover areas like concept space besides Sci Fi genres. The 1/3900 scale Battlestar Pegasus and Cylon Raider and Basestar are available there, as well as those stealh planes from the movie "Stealth", and Avatar Gunship. The Valkryie is coming soon too.
Shipping CCCCC
Packaging CCCCC
Customer Service CCCCC
High points Excellent customer service - fast and efficient
Recommendations CCCCC
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Tracy Brownfield runs Federations Models and offers a wide selection of GKs. Genre includes Star Trek, Battlestar, and many more. I've made many purchases with Federation Models myself and am very satisfied with their services.
Shipping CCCCC
Packaging CCCCC
Customer Service CCCCC
High points Excellent customer service - fast and efficient
Recommendations CCCCC
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Robert Vancel manages Arvey Models but this company officially belongs to Ironshipwrights now. Robert still design and produce GKs and he has some of the rarest accurization sets available - particularly for the AMT Star Destroyer. He also has the 17.5" Superstar Destroyer and the 2" Star Destroyer to compliment that kit.
Shipping CCCCC
Packaging CCCCC
Customer Service CCCCC
High points Excellent customer service - fast and efficient
Recommendations CCCCC
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Jeffrey Waclawski manages JT Graphics and this is the guy that comes out with one of the best resin kits ever. He has in stock the 1/48 scale Stealth Vipers and Cylon Raider and soon that Raider we saw in Battlestar Razor, among many others. His detailed and comprehensive decals for some of these Sci Fi kits is a must have as well.
you use Bank Drafts/International Money Order
Shipping CCCCC
Packaging CCCCC
Customer Service CCCCC
High points Excellent customer service - fast and efficient
Recommendations CCCCC
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Don Mathyis runs Don Light & Magic and he has a lot of accurization sets done up for the ERTL USS Enterprise (A and D) as well as for the Excelsior and Reliant. He also has the parts you need if you wish to light up your Babylon 5 Starfury.
Price CCCC
Shipping CCCCC
Packaging CCCCC
Customer Service CCCCC
High points Excellent customer service - fast and efficient
Recommendations CCCCC
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